Shoe upper shaping machine



March 1%, 39 22. M. L. DODGE 227,929

SHOE UPPER SHAPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 19, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l March w, 39%. M. L. DDDGE 2,27%929 SHOE UPPER SHAPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 19, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 2 March 1Q; 1942. M. 1... DODGE 2,2?$,29

SHOE UPPER SHAPING MACHiNE Filed Aug. 19, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet -5 Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE 2,276,029 SHOE UPPER SHAPING MACHINE Milton L. Dodge, Newburyport, Mass. Application August 19, 1939, Serial No. 291,051-

13 Claims.

It is desirable in shoes provided with heels which contact directly with the shoe uppers at their top margins, such shoe uppers around the heel seats merge smoothly with the contours of the heels, but particularly where a moldedcounter is employed,

the shoe as formed on the last is likely to present an outwardly projecting ridge adjacent to the top edge of the heel. This ridge may be more accentuated at one portion than at another, clue often to slight displacement of the heel from its proper position. Often, also, the margin of the heel seat of the shoe is sufficiently uneven so that the top edge of the heel margin does not contact therewith throughout its entire length, leaving a gap or grin. It has been the custom heretofore, therefore, for the operator to pound the upper with a hand hammer just above the heel margin in directions to reduce the ridge and to close any gaps or grins. The success of this operation has depended Wholly on the care, skill, and time expended by the operator, and because of the additional expense in manufacture involved, this operation is often imperfectly done.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide mechanism for performing this operation to speed it up and to require less skill and care by the operator in doing it satisfactorily.

In accordance with this invention, therefore, a tool for performing the desired operation is provided, together with means for supporting the shoe for proper presentation to the tool, and means for causing the tool to perform the desired operation on the shoe so held.

For a more complete understanding of this in vention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper por tion of a machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary somewhat diagrammatic elevation of the same, showing the path of motion of the tool.

Figure 3 is a top plan of the machine.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are detail sections on correspondingly numbered section lines of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but showing the shoe in a difierent relation to the tool.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the shoe and the tool in position where the shoe shows a grin to be closed up by the action of the tool. v

Figure 9 is a detail section on line 99 of Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a view somewhat similar to a poras Wood heels, that the its outer end in tion of Figure 9, but showing the shoe upper properly shaped.

Figure 11 is a view similar to a portion of Figure 1, but showing a modification in which the shoe is treated while on the last.

Figure 12 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 7, but showing the modification of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 11, but showing a further modification.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary front elevation of the machine of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a view similar ure 13, tool.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive,

to a portion of Figbut showing a different form of treating there is shown a supporting frame I which may be carried by a pedestal or bench 2. The forward face of the support I is provided with a slideway 3 formed by a pair of angle-shaped strip 4 which are secured to the support as by the screws 5. These strips 4 engage over a base flange 6 on a slide 1 which is thus mounted for vertical sliding motion. The forward face 8 of the slide 1 is upwardly and rearwardly inclined and is provided with aT slot 9 extending transversely thereof for supporting the head ID of a second slide II which may move horizontally in a transverse direction.

As shown best in Figure 5, this head I0 is secured to the reduced extremity of a shank portion I2 of this second slide which terminates at a spherical segmental head l3. This head [3 is enclosed by a pair of members M and I5 shaped to bear rockably thereon and which are secured together as by means of screws l5 together constitute an inside form over which may be placed the heel end portion of a shoe 20 which it is desired to treat, this'shoe, as shown in Figure 1, being provided with a heel 2| of the wood heel type. The shoe is thus supported for universal angular and bodily motion. The slide 1 is provided at its lower end with a cam follower roll 25 journaled in an extension 26 therefrom, this bracket 29 secured to the lower face of the support I. This rock shaft 28 has an arm 30 keyed thereto and the outer end of this arm is shown as pivotally connected at 3| to a rod 32. rod extends downwardly and is intended to have secured at its lower end a treadle, or other means, by which it may be actuated by the operator in order to rock the cam 21.

It will be noted from an inspection of Figure l that the cam 21 has a peripheral face eccentric to the shaft 28, the rear portion of this face being at a less distance from the axis of the shaft 28 than the outer portion thereof, so that as the rod 32 is depressed from the full line position shown in Figure 1, the cam 21 is rocked from the full line position shown toward the dotted line position, causing the follower roll 25, and with it the slide 1, to be lifted as the rod 32 is lowered. This is for the purpose of bringing the shoe carried by the form 14-45 into operative relation to a tool positioned thereabove and which is adapted to be actuated to perform the desired operation on the shoe.

In the construction shown in Figures I to 12, inclusive, this tool comprises a reciprocating hammer and in the form shown in Figures 1 to 10, inclusive, this hammer 35 is provided with a rounded active end 35 positioned to strike .upon the upper a shoe supported on the form adjacent to its heel seat portion and cause it to be pounded down to merge with the adjacent surface of the heel 2] i This hammer :35, as shown best. in Figure 4, i s d axially Within a socket member and has a reduced diameter shank portion 4| which rides a reduced diameter portion 42 of the socket member. This reduced diameter. portion 4! of the hammer, beneath the reduced diameter portion 42, is surrounded by a coil spring 4.3 which reacts between an annular shoulder 44 on the hammer and an annular shoulder 44 of the socket member. In order to hold the hammer within the socket member it may be provided with an elongated notch 45 (see Figure 1) in its side face into which projects a set screw Mi projecting inwardly from the side wall of the socket member 40. The socket member 45, in turn, is pivoted on the trunnion screws extending inwardly from side walls 5| of the forward forked extremity of a lever 2, which is fulcrumed on apivot pin 53 projecting from an arm extension 5.4..of an up.- standing wall member 55 of the sl pport I. This wall member 55 has journaled therein an actuating shaft v55 provided with a belt pulley 51, or other suitable means for rotating it. At one side of the wall member 55 the shaft 56 has a crank pin portion 58 which rides in a slot 59 of a bushing 60 clamped in a circular opening 61 in the rear end of the lever arm 52, this end of the lever arm being split, as shown at 63, and the split portions being secured together by the clamping screw 64 which serves to retain the bushing-60 in position.

By rotation of the shaft 58, the arm 52 will be rocked through a suitable arc, this resulting in oscillation of the hammer 35. In order, however, that this hammer shall have a path of motion such that blows struck thereby will tend to close up any gaps between the shoe upper and the heel, and will pound down themarginal ridge into a substantial continuation of the shoe heel contour, provision is made by which the hammer may have a wiping stroke tending to pound the shoe upper toward the heel. To this end, the socket member 40 is shown as provided with an upward extension 65. to which may be pivotally secured as at 650, through any selected of a plurality of perforations 56, the forward end of a link 61, the rear end of which is pivoted as at 63 to an upward extension 59 at-the forward end of the arm extension 54. By suitable adjustment of the attachment of the forward endlof the link 51 to the portion 65, the amount of thiswiping motion may be determined-.. This is shown diagrammatically in Figure 2, in which the pivotal connection 58 between the socket member and the arm 52 moves in an are about the fulcrum 53 as a center, while the pivotal connection 650 moves in an are about the pivot 68 as a center. The resultant motion of the striking end 36 of the hammer is shown by the curved arrow 10. My proper selection of the hole 56, the amount of this wiping effect may .be adjusted as desired for any particular fault in the shoe. Where a grin H is to be closed up, as shown in Figure 8, a considerable amount of wipe may be desirable, while where the ridge 12 shown in Figure 9 is to be reduced, less wipe or even no wipe at all may be preferable. In either case it is desirable to shape the shoe upper to form a smooth continuation of the contour of the heel as at 13 shown in Figure 10.

The severity with which the hammer acts may be determined partly by the strength of the sp in .43 nd part y by th e ten of the treadl movem nt whi h d term nes the extent to whi h th sho is i ted nt h f ect e zone of operaon f the h mp th lower l t f wh h s det rmined by th lower lim t of rockin of the outer end o he arm 5-2 and t e lowest position o t e hammer as determin d b t e set screw 45 and the slot 45. Where the shoe is lifted :insufli i n y to some with n this active zone of the ham e o course the hammer will not reach t, whi if it s mo ed up into this zo e, he h mm il reach t an the limi o mo ion of the hammer l be de e m n d y he p si ion of the shoe surface which is contacted thereby,

For operation about the heel end of the shoe and for a limited distance on either side, the operator may swing the shoe about the spherical head I 3 of its support. When the side portions and the shank forwardly thereof are being operated upon, the shoe wi l be turned up into substantially horizontal direction as shown in Figure n e s ide p s ediat a ly of he slide 1 to the required extent as shown in Figure '7.

In some cases it may be desired to perform s oper n on the sho whi e it s st l on the last. Where this isthe ca e, modification of m c s n i F u es 11 and may be empl y I t is m dificat n t ammer 35a s pro d d i h a ater lly e t nded head 36a. e e d po ions b ng r lieved as a 3th place of e c o s s ide th i s upportin m for h ho t he ma n s de 81a w l b p vided with a ja k pin 90. which is pr f rably y d y pported, as by a sp in t! en agin its head I02 and seated in a. socket 103, the rear end of-which may be closed as by a threaded plug I04 which also supports the rear end of the spring s l e p n is referab of a diamet s t y e han that of t e iao pi h e E of the last 6 11 which th shoe is su ported so as to allow some play of the shoe thereon such that the operator may be able to turn or otherwise manipulate the shoe to some extent freely. The spring allows for adjustment for variations in the jack pin holes of diiferent lasts and var-ation of the heel seats because of variations in the positioning of the shoe on the last. Otherwise, the e n m may be t e same as th t h r tofor described, so that the operator may lift the shoe up into position for the hammer to strike thereon. No substantial lateral motion of the shoe is permitted with this mounting, but the relieved extensions 36l of the extended hammer head are so shaped that they can engage in and treat the shank portions of the shoe upper adjacent to the heel seat without providing for such lateral motion, the shoe when being operated upon at one of these portions being turned upwardly as shown in Figure 12 about an axis substantially centrally of and perpendicular to its heel seat.

In place of employing a hammer for operating on the shoe upper, a roll may be substituted, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, and for best results this roll is power driven though it may be a free roll, if desired. The power driven roll tends to eliminate wrinkles. Th roll I shown in Figure 13 is therefore carried by a driving shaft I2 I both the shaft and the roll being mounted in a bracket member I22 carried by the support la. The shoe may be carried either on a form as illustrated in Figure 3, or where it is on the last when treated, it may be mounted as illustrated in Figure 11. The power drive of the shaft I2I and the roll I20 will serve to aid in feeding the shoe, starting in on one side and passing around the heel end and terminating on the other side, the shoe being rocked, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 14. while it is held in contact with the roll.

As shown in Figure 13, the active face I25 of the roll I20 is formed concave, but where the treatment is to be made well into the shank, par ticularly on the inside wall of the shoe, it may be desirable to employ a somewhat convexed roll as shown at I26 in Figure 15 in order to properly engage the shoe upper, this shape also being effective on the sides and back as well as on the shank portions.

From the foregoing description of certain embodiments of this invention, it should be evident to those skilled in the art and modifications might be made without departing from th spirit or scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine of the class described comprising an upper shaping tool, means for moving said tool, means for supporting a shoe beneath said tool, said supporting means presenting the counter portion of said shoe adjacent to the sole upwardly and beneath said tool, and means for that various changes 3 second slide for supporting a shoe in operative relation to said tool when said first mentioned slide is in one position, and operator-controlled means for moving said first mentioned slide to bring a shoe on said form into and out of cooperative relation to said tool, motion of said second slide permitting the operator to bring selected portions of a shoe on said form into and. out of the operative zone of said tool.

'5. A machine of the class described, comprising an upper shaping tool, a support, a slide moving said support upwardly to bring a shoe thereon into operative relation to said tool.

2. A machine of the class described comprising an upper shaping tool, means for moving said tool up and down, means for supporting a shoe beneath said tool, said supporting means presenting the counter portion of said shoe adjacent to the sole upwardly and beneath said tool, and means for moving said support upwardly to bring a shoe thereon within the path of motion of said tool.

3. A machine of the class described comprising an upper shaping tool, means for moving said tool, means for supporting a shoe beneath said tool, said supporting means presenting the counter portion of said shoe adjacent to the sole upwardly and beneath said tool, and means for moving said support upwardly to bring a shoe thereon into operative relation to said tool, said supporting means supporting said shoe with capability of motion to present various parts of said shoe portion into treating relation to said tool.

4. A machine of the class described, comprising an upper shaping tool a support, a slide movable on said support toward and from said tool, a second slide carried by said first mentioned slide for motion transverse to the motion of said first mentioned slide, a form on which a shoe may be supported rockably carried by said movable on said support toward and from said tool, asecond slide carried by said first mentioned slide for motion transverse to the motion, of said first mentioned slide, a form on which a shoe may be supported rockably carried'by said second slide for supporting a shoe in operative relation to said tool when said first mentioned slide is in one position, operator-controlled means for moving said first mentioned slide to bring a shoe on said form into and out of cooperative relation to said tool, motion of said second slide permitting the operator to bring selected portions of a shoe on said form into and out of the operative zone of said tool, and means to actuate said tool.

6. A machine of the class described, comprisjack pin projecting upwardly and outwardly toward said tool from said member and over which the jack hole of a last may be placed to present the lower side portion of the upper of a shoe on said last about the heel seat into operative relation to said tool, and operator-controlled means for moving said member.

7'. A machine of the class described, comprising an upper working tool, a support, a member mounted on said support for movement from and toward said tool, a jack pin carried by said member over which the jack hole of a last may be placed to present the lower portion of the upper of a shoe on said last about the heel seat in operative relation to said tool, and operatorcontrolled means for moving said member, said pin being mounted for axially yielding motion in said member.

8. A machine of the class described, comprising a hammer, means for reciprocating said hammer in a path of normally constant amplitude, and means for supporting a shoe for selective presentation of the lower portion of its upper about the heel seat to impact from said hammer, said reciprocating means having cooperating parts rocking said hammer during its reciprocation to produce a component of pounding effect directed toward the heel seat edge of a heel of the wood heel type secured to said shoe.

9. A machine of the class described, comprising a support, an arm fulcrumed on said support, means for oscillating said arm, a hammer spring-supported from said arm at one side of said fulcrum, a link pivoted at one end to said support and at its opposite end to said hammer to control with said pivotal arm the path of motion of said hammer, and means for supporting a shoe in position to be struck by said hammer.

10. A machine of the class described, comprising a hammer having a shank and a head carried by one end of said shank, means for vibrating said hammer substantially lengthwise of said shank, and means for presenting a shoe with capability of turning about an axis sub- 4- stantially centrally of: and. perpendicular to. its heel seat; to: present its; sides and. heel end: ad.- iacent. to. said: heel seat in. operative,- relation. to said. hannnen. the; end. portions of said hammer at: its. pounding face being roundedand relieved to; properly shape: the. shoe: upper in. the. shank adjacent to, the sole. wherrthe. shoe is turned. to present. its shank portions thereto.

11. In. combination a hammer having ahead for; shaping: the upper: of a. shoe adjacent to the op. marg n of. the shoe heeh. said. head havin an, elongated. convex. working; face relieved at its ends for engagement; with theshoeupper in the shank; portion, andzmeans for presenting the upperof a shoe. to said hammer with the direction of elongation substantially following the line. of the; shoe, sole.

12.. Ainaohineof the class described, comprising. a. tool for: shaping the upper of, a shoeadjacent to. the. top-margin ofthe. heel, meansfor supporting ashoe to be: treated by said tool for aeveqoee universal angular. and bodily motion relative to said. tool, and means for relatively'moving said tool. and supporting means: toward and from each: other.

13. A machine: of the. class; described comprising: means: for. movably supporting a shoe provided with a, heel of the wood heel type wherein the margin of the heel should engage the shoe. upper, a tool, and means for moving said tool. and work support relatively to. bring the shoe; and. tool into or out of. operative relation and. when in operative relation. causing the tool on. manipulation, of the shoe on said support to force the shoe upper to thelast and into smooth close engagement about the sides and back of the heel. seat with the heel margin, said moving means, including; mechanism'for imparting a component of motion of the tool toward theshoe heel;

MILTON L.. DODGE. 

